Composite plank



Jan. .18, A, M R 2,106,105

COMPOSITE PLANK I Filed May-l4, 1935 mean/aw I INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 18, 1938 k UNITED STATES PATENT.- OFFICE COMPOSITE PLANK Anthony P, Miller, Pleasantville, N. J. Application May 14, 1935, Serial No. 21,338 6 Claims. (01. 94-15 This invention relates to composite planks the longitudinally extending grooves in the tops which may have a wide and varied range of useof the planks are undercut and a series of wood fulness but which are particularly intended and or composite blocks disposed transversely of the peculiarly adapted for use in construction of grooves for tapered ends to key into the underheavily travelled decking such for instance as the cuts. With this type of construction although boardwalks commonly employed at seashore resomewhat more expensive originally than fillers sorts. V is even less expensive to maintain because a single These walks are usually elevated so that high worn block may be removed and replaced withtides may flow under them and while the use out disturbing its fellows. However it is within of an all concrete walk is satisfactory from a the scope of the invention to use elongated standpoint of structural strength and durability, wooden or rubber or composition fillers preformed such walks are extremely. hot and uncomfortto be slid endwise into the grooves or to use asable, lack resiliency, are tiring to walk upon and bestos or similar material which may be preconsequently discourage promenading and are formed, molded or pressed. Into the grooves. resultantly detrimental to the business of mer- The invention may be more fully understood 15 chants and amusement concessions on the walk. from the following description in connection with A wooden walk is quite comfortable to walk the accompanying drawing wherein:-

upon. It is not nearly as hot as concrete but it Fig. 1 is plan view, partly broken away and in does present a fire hazard and it is very expensection illustrating one form of my invention,

Sive to k ep in "repair. Fur h m n many Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in transverse section 20 localities such for instance as Atlantic City, these on the line 2--2 of Fig. l, boardwalks must be built to sustain very heavy Fig 3 i i imil r to Fig, 1 illustrating a loads such for instance as the travel of heavy modification, and fi engines Over-them in emergencies- With this Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view in mind the walks are built of extremely heavy on the line 4-4 of Fig.3; 25 expensive Wooden Planking which must be While as above suggested the grooves in the placed as Soon 1 the Surface thereof becomes upper surface of the concrete bases of the planks sphmiered spht or 1 down otherfmse may receive any suitable type of removable redgtenora'tes to condition where pedestrians silient tread member such as elongated wood or mlght trip or imure themselvfas on f w rubber members or may be filled with any suit- 9 object the present Invention 15 to able resilient wear resisting material which will Vlde cqmpoglte plank for use at such board afford the desired attraction, I have for illuse walks whmh W111 he even ff .than heavy trative purposes shown only the construction in planks now 29 fir g be sub: which a multiplicity of transversely disposed, f fi W 10h no .ecome unlaterally abutting wooden blocks are employed uly hot in the sun and yet which will very mato afford the desired tread surface terially reduce the cost of maintenance of the Referring more particularly to F'figs 1 and 2 i r eauue of the invention is the use of a plank of t w represents the elongated 40 having a base of concrete or similar material, g f P 3351 3 the refslhsgt filerior 40 a t e reception 0 read mem ers or wear members of inexpensive construction which may be g f fig fi g 'f g i readily removed and replaced when they become W1 h un f e :3 2 a o h e genera worn. The planks may be spaced apart in the 2: z z i 5 fashion of the wood planking now used in order e 3 5 y i 9:; to provide ventilation, drainage and attraction. any e composl y pon 1 A walk constructed of these planks is comfortv e1t1111k11ra1$la sae ttoiila ghggestcgotifisvgiznssgable to walk upon due to the resiliency of the 1011a 5 tr d members nd th only elements which are cated in this recess they will be keyed therein. 50 subject to wear under foot trafiic or wheel trafy e further preferably Secured 1n he base fic are the removable tread pieces which are in by a thickness of waterp Cement mastic the first place inexpensive and which in the cement 4 located under the filler pieces and second place may be readily replaced when worn. around the ends thereof, thus keeping out mois- In accordance with one form of the invention ture and effectively securing the filler pieces in 55 place. This mastic may likewise be employed between the filler blocks if desired.

To anchor the planks I preferably employ nails 5 driven into joists or other supports 6 and having heads I thereon which are forced into longitudinally extending grooves 8 in the sides of the plank. In driving the nails they are positioned close to the planks and when driven in sufliciently are bent laterally to project the heads of the nails into the grooves. Adjacent planks are thus necessarily spaced a distance apart at least as great as the diameter of the shanks of the spikes or nails.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing the plank increased width provides room for three parallel grooves l4 corre sponding to the groove 3. Grooves 9 are formed in the upper face of the base to give to the plank the appearance of a series of single planks, these grooves being of a width corresponding to the spacing of the single planks shown in Fig. 1.

While three longitudinal tread receiving recesses M are shown, the plank'may have two, four or more if desired.

In the bottom of the grooves 9 drain openings ID are provided and these drain openings are preferably given the downwardly flared or conical shape shown to prevent them from clogging.

The filler pieces 2 when of wood are preferably formed with the grain running vertically and. may be treated in any desired manner to lengthen their wearing qualities.

When a filler piece is worn or rotted, it can be dug out of the recess and a three part filler piece inserted. This is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing and the parts of the filler piece are given the reference characters H, l2 and I 3. The end sections II and I2 have tapered ends to key in: the recess 3 and the center section l3 when forced or wedged into position between them insures their interlocking engagement with the base.

It will thus be seen that my improved plank can be easily and cheaply kept in repair reducing the cost of maintenance to a minimum. These planks may be conveniently used for the replacement of one of the wooden planks now employed.

- It will thus be seen that there is herein described an article in whichthe several features of this invention are embodied, and which article in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements of practical use. l

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely differ-v ent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A composite plank, including a preformed base having a recess in its upper face extending throughout its length and transversely positioned preformed filler pieces keyed in the recess, said base having longitudinally extending grooves in its side edges adapted to receive the heads of securing devices driven into a support on which the plank is located.

2. A composite plank including a base having a series of parallel recesses in its upper face, filler pieces keyed in the recesses, said base having longitudinal grooves in its upper face between the recesses to simulate separate planks and drain openings in the bottoms of the grooves.

.3. A composite plank comprising a base having a dove-tailed recess in its-upper face extending throughout its length and removable filler pieces in the recess at least one of said filler pieces consisting of end sections shaped to fitthe side walls of the recess and a center section between the end sections holding them in locked engagee ment with the base.

4. A multiple composite plank including a wide flat preformed base having a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses in its upper face, tread members removably secured in said recesses, the spaces between said tread members being relatively narrow and said base having grooves in the spaces between the tread members whereby to simulate separated composite planks.

5. A multiple composite plank including a wide flat preformed base having a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses in its upper face, tread members removably secured in said recesses, the spaces between said tread members being relatively narrow and said base having grooves in the spaces between the tread members. whereby to simulate separated composite planks, said last mentioned grooves having drain holes therein.

6. A multiple composite plank including a wide flat preformed base having a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses in its upper face, tread members removably secured in said recesses, the spaces between said tread members being relatively narrow and said base having grooves in the spaces between the tread members whereby to simulate separated composite planks, the edges of said base having recesses therein adapted to receive the heads of securing devices for retaining the composite plank in position.

ANTHONY P. MILLER. 

